Re: thermal energy

[Mark Sylvester <msylvest@SPIN.IT>]

I've seen in certain examination papers the term "thermal energy" used in
place of the H-Word, i.e. for Q in the usual notation. This is probably the
result of people being told not to use the H-Word. Confusion reigns!

Mark

At 21.26 02/03/00 +0200, Savinainen Antti wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have a question on concept of thermal energy. I'd like to have a solid
> definition for it. Here are some quotes:
>
> 1) Fundamentals of Physics (Halliday, Resnick & Walker), 4th edition, p. 188
>
> ".., thermal energy, which is associated with the random motions of atoms
> and molecules in a body,..."
>
> Later in the text thermal energy is used as a synonym for internal energy.
> Giancoli's Physics follows the same convention. It may be appropriate in
> the introductory course but I suspect that there must be a difference in a
> closer analysis as the next quotation suggests.
>
> 2) Teaching Introductory Physics (Arnold B. Arons), p. 147
>
> Arons lists different internal energy changes:
>
> (a) Internal thermal energy change
> (b) Internal chemical energy changes
> (c) Internal kinetic energy change (includes translational and rotational
> energy changes)
> (d) Internal potential energy changes (three types)
> (e) Miscellaneous internal energy changes (e.g. sound, radiation)
>
> What could Arons mean by thermal energy here? I have thought that thermal
> energy could be another name for type (c). Fundamentals of Physics seems
> to hint into this direction in the quotation above.
>
> Molecules have vibrational energy as well. For some reason Arons doesn't
> include this into his classification. BTW I think that Arons' book might
> be the best book written on physics education.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Regards
>
> Antti Savinainen
> Physics teacher
> Kuopio Lyseo High School/IB-section
> Finland


_____________________________________
Mark Sylvester
United World College of the Adriatic,
34013 Duino TS, Italy.
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